Fighting the Gravity
by tehprincessj
Summary: Game-spanning Pathfinder Sara Ryder/Dr. Harry Carlyle fic. Sara Ryder has fallen for an older man, and no amount of discovery in a new and unexplored galaxy will allow her to settle for anyone else. Rated M for graphic sexual content in the last 2 chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Welp, I haven't posted fic in years, but I'm in love with a pairing that can't actually happen in-game, so I need to exorcise this ship the only true way I know how. This ended up with more plot than my usual straight-up smut, it's g_ _ame-spanning and full of all the headcanon I could cram into it_ _, but don't let the four chapters thing fool you, I build up to it, but porn happens, and it's pretty graphic. Sorry. If that's not your thing, I suppose you can stop at the end of two and call it good. ;)_

 _Warnings: Graphic sexual content, of course, but not until chapter three._

* * *

Ryder felt many things, foremost being breathless excitement as the shuttle took them toward the Ark Hyperion; Cora, her brother Scott, Doctor Harry Carlyle, and Sara, elder twin and only daughter of humanity's Pathfinder, the man most say is responsible for the very existence of the Andromeda Initiative. The vids advertise the program as the next step, for humanity and beyond, an adventure unprecedented in its scope and scale.

She's ready for this. And more terrified than she's ever imagined she'd be.

Her father is already on board, taking care of last minute business, and Sara's certain she won't be seeing him again until they've jumped galaxies. Scott squeezes her hand as they sit side by side, his presence an anchor in a tremulous ocean of possibility and unknown danger. The seats are hard and uncomfortable but Sara sits on the edge of hers, looking out the transport's window, before turning her head to look across the shuttle at the two older members of their group; Cora Harper, her father's second, and Harry, the doctor she'd met a few times before at Initiative banquets and some of her mother's medical conferences. Harry's eyes meet hers and she grins at him, feeling her cheeks brush up against the inside of her helmet.

Harry smiles back, and it reaches his grey-green eyes. He's handsome and warm, and she remembers his wonderful humor on the occasions they'd spoken. Having him along makes Sara feel better, an automatic response she doesn't examine too closely as she goes back to gazing out the window, watching the Hyperion grow larger and larger at their approach.

Before long, the group docks inside the Ark's massive hanger bay. They were all in full combat armor, so they headed toward the mission lockers before they were to check in with medical.

Cora is all business and strategy, discussing protocol and procedure for what will happen when they all lay down for their extended naps. Scott humors her, listening attentively, but Sara feels her focus shift as a feeling of unreality narrows her vision to one sharp point. She fumbles with the latch on her locker, pulling it open and staring into the empty dark interior.

"You ready for this, kiddo?" Harry asks beside her, popping the seals on his chest plate. It slid free, revealing the top of his combat suit.

Sara pulled her helmet off and took a deep breath, smiling without meaning to. "Not really, Harry." Her voice dropped to a whisper, although she doubted anyone more than a few feet away could possibly hear her above Cora's booming narrative. "But don't tell anyone."

He nodded conspiratorially. "My lips are sealed."

Sara blushed as she realized her gaze had dropped to his mouth at his words, her eyes quickly darting back to her locker, and the task at hand. She hopes he didn't notice.

But Harry notices everything, probably part of his training as a doctor. He reached out a hand still encased in armored gloves and touched her shoulder as she set the helmet aside. "Hey, doesn't matter if anyone knows you've got cold feet. Look at it this way: in six hundred years, who's going to care?" He grinned, revealing perfectly straight white teeth, his eyes lifting at the corners.

She laughed as she pulled the rest of her own armor off, grateful to be free of it, at least. Her dad would care _._ 'Disappointed' would probably best describe his reaction if he were to find out, even six centuries in the future.

Next, they moved to a long bright room with beds lining both sides and beeping equipment. A medical team had gathered there to discuss connection to SAM, the very last step for the Pathfinder team before they entered their cryo pods. Harry pulled on his uniform gloves as he moved to join them, inclining his head toward Sara as he went.

"Don't worry, sis," Scott said beside her. "He'll help get us settled. It's his job."

Sara looked up at him, not sure if she was being teased or reassured. It could go either way with Scott. But his expression was serious, his lips pressing together in a firm line. He'd always been amazing at knowing what she was thinking, almost as if their connection was deep enough for them to communicate without saying anything. She smiled at him, thankful for his words and his unfailing empathy.

If she hadn't been so afraid of enclosed spaces or terrified of what was about to happen, Sara probably would have enjoyed the tech talk they were given, as, one by one, they were connected to the mission computer's artificial intelligence via the implants they'd all surgically received a few weeks earlier. Harry checked her vitals, running a final physical program from his omni-tool.

"Hello, Sara," a new masculine voice said. SAM.

"Um, hi."

"How are you feeling?" the disembodied voice asked. "Your stress levels are elevated."

"Just nerves," Sara was quick to respond, her eyes locking with Harry's. She swung her legs as she sat on the examination table, like a child would. "I'm excited!" she claimed, her voice just a little too bright.

"Everything checks out, here," Harry said, flipping his scanner off before he tapped at the orange interface. He probably had orders from dad to report when they were ready to go. It would have been nice to see her father, or even hear from him over comms, but Sara knows she won't.

Scott gets his final examination from Doctor Lexi T'Perro, an asari who has chosen to make the trip in humanity's Ark instead of that of her own race. He receives his injection, and she knows he'll be asleep before she is. The drugs take about three minutes to kick in and then it's lights out.

On his way toward the hall where their pods lie waiting for them, Scott stops beside her. They clasp hands, lightly bumping foreheads together as they'd done since they were toddlers. "See you on the other side, sis."

Sara has to bite her lip to keep from asking him to wait. She doesn't want to be alone. She remains silent as he turns to leave and she watches him until he disappears from view.

She turns back to Harry, who watches her quietly. He begins gently rolling her right shirtsleeve back so he can access her upper arm. Her breathing has sped up, and she feels her chest heave as he brings a needle close.

"Who's going to inject you?" she asks.

Harry smiles, eyes on his work. "I will."

Seemed a bit like a barber giving themselves a haircut to Sara, but she supposed it made sense for Harry. "At least you'll be in good hands," she laughs, but she means it. She finds the idea of them sharing the same experience reassuring.

He administers the shot then holds a cotton ball to her injection site before rolling her sleeve back down to touch her wrist. "Time to go," he says, helping her to her feet and then steadying her with a firm hand at the small of her back.

She's grateful to him as she realizes he's walking her to her pod, the waiting technician leaving at Harry's brisk nod.

"I'll be right here until you're asleep." Somehow he knew what she wanted before she could even ask him.

With his gentle urging, she settled back into the pod, desperately trying to tell herself that this was _not_ in fact a coffin. "Thank you, Harry," is all she can think to say, her eyes desperate that his be the last thing she sees before oblivion.

"I'll see you soon," he says, and his deep timbered voice is the last thing she knows.

* * *

Time stretches. She doesn't dream.

She wakes to unfamiliar faces, disappointment lancing her as her eyes scan the cryo pod-lined corridor for Scott, her father, or a certain doctor.

Space is cold. Sara shivers, rubbing her upper arms with her hands. She wonders exactly how much time has passed, and how much more would be necessary before her subconscious stops connecting the feel of cold temperatures around her to the centuries she'd spent in cryo sleep. She couldn't get warm, which was ridiculous. Medically, her body hadn't even noticed the trip, it was the mental parts that were going to take some getting used to. Her eyes hurt, sore from lack of use, as if her pupils had forgotten how to transition from extreme dark to light. Rolling her shoulders, she sighed as she waited on another exam table for Lexi to clear her for duty.

Plans had gone awry. Half an hour later and the tightness in her chest is nearly suffocating as she walks away from the pod that holds her brother. She's worried sick that she'll never see him again but, at the same time, stubbornly convinced that of course she would. Scott was stronger than she was. He was going to be fine, he just needed more time.

Everything in the sterile smelling med bay was white; the walls, the ceiling, the light fixtures, even the gurneys. Sara was beginning to suspect the stark brightness was one of the reasons her eyes were hurting.

"Good morning, Sara," a voice welcomed her over the comms, the simulated inflections were soothing and novel. She was still learning the science, but right now she knew just enough to believe that her link to SAM was essentially a link to her father.

"SAM," she acknowledged, taking a deep breath, willing the tension to leave her body along with the air as she slowly released it.

"Cora is waiting to take you to your father via tram," he reminded her.

Right.

As she made her way back toward the front of the medical bay, she felt the corner of her mouth kick up in a smile as she noticed Harry for the first time tending a guy with crazy hair. His name turned out to be Kosta, and Sara snickered when she heard Harry direct his idea of post-cryo doctor-patient banter at him.

Harry's eyes tracked her movements as she approached. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Alright. But, worried."

"Don't be," he answered quickly. "Scott's going to be just fine."

Damn, it was really good to see him. "Thanks, Harry." She felt warmth spread, loosening the knot in her chest. "I'll see you later."

Next came a meeting on the bridge with the Captain and her father, followed by the mission lockers where she donned the armor she wore to board the ship at the beginning of this trip. Her eyes strayed to Harry's locker, feeling his absence along with her brother's. It seemed like only hours had passed since the four of them had arrived. She met the rest of the team there, and felt excitement building inside her as she focused on the mission, landfall on an undiscovered world in an entirely new galaxy.

She and Cora entered the hanger and her steps slowed as she noticed Harry, in full armor, packing medical supplies into a crate. "Hello again," she said in greeting, hoping her pleasure at the sight of him wasn't entirely obvious.

"You don't mind if I tag along? I know I'm not part of the team, but your father wants a medic on board for this one."

Sara noticed the pistol strapped to his hip, and felt a thrill that he had combat training. She hadn't been able to imagine that she'd get to spend time in the field with him. "Of course not, glad to have you along." She was.

Cora frowned. "This could get dangerous."

Harry's brows shot up, "Hey, I can handle myself. Wouldn't have survived this long if I couldn't," he said, snapping the lid of the crate shut before he lifted it effortlessly, as though he was trying to make a point.

Her father appeared, gave the team a pep talk, and then, surprisingly, pulled her aside. "Your brother's strong. He'll make it." For a moment the emotions were almost overwhelming. She swallowed hard, and nodded.

They were assigned to separate shuttles. She rode with Fisher, Greer, Kirkland, and Kosta, and her father went with Cora, Harry, and Hayes.

When the two teams finally met up again, everything had changed. Light half their fire team, Harry was forced to help them hold the shuttle. "Hah! I got one!" he said as he shot one of the new unidentified enemies.

First contact had been a disaster, and hostiles were everywhere.

Her father ordered them to split up; she, Cora, and Liam were to join him up ahead, and Harry was left to tend the wounded and use the shuttle to pick up the squad mates they'd been forced to leave behind.

Maybe having a doctor with them would have made a difference with what happened next.

Sara's world turned upside down. A kaleidoscope of flashing images and sounds; her father's shouts, Harry's terrified face, and then nothing but darkness.

She wondered if she wasn't still tucked away in her cryo pod, dreaming these nightmares. Perhaps Scott was the one who'd woke up safely and she was trapped in stasis.

The reality weighed her down like a ton of bricks. A title, responsibility she didn't want, and her father was just gone. She didn't understand how it had happened. Why couldn't they have taken turns with the helmet? Why did she feel like death?

Time moved on. She spent a restless night in her father's quarters, wrapped in one of his sweatshirts. She felt like an imposter among his things, going through his computer with SAM's help. SAM, the only thing of Alec Ryder she really had left.

At least she'd never be alone again.

* * *

They docked with the Nexus. A plan was formulated, orders were given, and Sara had a clear mission to focus on.

She saved her visit to the cryo level of the Hyperion until last thing, making it her final stop before she was to board a ship of her own and leave the Nexus.

More bad news.

"What do you mean, you're not coming with me?" Her disappointment was probably obvious, but she didn't care.

She'd come here to see Scott, or so she's told herself, but when she'd found Doctor Carlyle here, not even attempting to get ready to depart, she'd had to ask.

"Lexi and I have decided to swap jobs," Harry said, leading her away. His hand had returned to the small of her back, and he led her over to a less occupied section beyond the medbay doors. "What happened yesterday... that's on me."

"Harry, that's ridiculous..," she tried.

He cut her off, "No, if I'd been there with the shuttle sooner, things may have ended up differently. I need to accept my limitations, and it's looking like I'm getting too old to be out in the field."

Sara shook her head, but she could tell he'd made up his mind.

"Lexi is younger. Well, in asari years, that is." He was trying for a light tone, but it wasn't helping.

"So the plan is for me to board a ship I've never even seen before and head out into space with only Cora and Liam, and now the ship's medic is going to be somebody I barely know?" Resentments were beginning to pile up. She felt like a child in her disappointment, ornery and helpless.

"Hey, I've known Dr. T'Perro for years. You'll be in the very best hands."

But not his hands. "Years, huh?" She paused before continuing in a softer tone, "You guys aren't..," she trailed off suggestively, hoping he caught what she was driving at.

"Goodness, no," he laughed, and it wasn't until he did that Sara realized part of what she's feeling is the ghost of jealousy.

She folded her arms over her chest, feeling it lift as she sighed. "If that's what everyone thinks is best, I suppose there really isn't any point in arguing with you about it."

Harry's expression changed, softening. The pressure of his hand increased. "It's the right call. And I'll be right here if you ever need _anything_." He looked at her with sympathy and resignation.

For a moment Sara looked right back at him, unsure of what to say.

Withdrawing his hand, he stepped back in what Sara interpreted as dismissal. "This way I can look after Scott and let you know how he's doing."

Sara's teeth sank into her bottom lip and she nodded. "I'll be back when I can. Please let me know if anything changes."

His smile didn't quiet meet his eyes this time as he said softly, "Don't be a stranger."

* * *

Weeks went by, and Sara's team discovered the mysterious Remnant and the universe altering vaults, establishing the very first outpost in Andromeda to have a likely chance of succeeding. All the while Sara received updates on her brother's status from Lexi who kept communication up with Doctor Carlyle on the Nexus.

Sara had gotten into the habit of messaging Harry frequently herself, although she didn't let anyone aboard the ship know it, taking each and every report from Doctor T'Perro as news she hadn't already been in the position to glean. It had started out with Sara opening up her e-mail and staring at an empty page, needing a connection to the man she found herself wondering about more often than not. Mundane musings, usually as static as they were pointless, such as, what was he doing now? The answer was typically working; the man was a workaholic, arriving at the Hyperion's med bay around 0530 and taking the tram to new quarters on the Nexus usually as late at 2000 hours. From everything Sara had seen of the older man, he didn't have much in the way of a social life.

She texted him, telling him of things she'd seen and threats they'd faced, informal stripped down versions of the days' events dissimilar to her mission reports. She kept a running tally of all the things as they occurred to her that she hadn't imagined she'd miss from the Milky Way that now seemed like requirements for safety and sanity. His responses were quite often laced with humor and wit, and she appreciated the added opportunity to laugh or just smile at Harry's experienced but imaginative take on life.

They'd only just gotten the outpost up and running when Sara learned they were to report back to Tann. Leaving felt wrong, since the planet still had pockets of kett and a water issue that needed to be dealt with, but perhaps giving the vault some time to clear some of the radiation from the atmosphere wasn't such a bad idea.

She toyed with the idea of sending Harry a text to let him know that they'd be there that night, but decided against it. It was going to be late enough when they docked that he'd most likely be asleep, and she could feel the weight of her conscience reminding her that the lines between friendship and formality were still something she needed to determine. The closeness that was building between them after all the back and forth communication was new, and she didn't want to risk a proverbial step back by making assumptions and coming on too strong. She was certain that word of the Pathfinder team's return to the Nexus would reach him as soon as he arrived at work in the morning, so she ultimately dismissed the idea.

Being able to message him at any time had helped lessen his absence, but she was looking forward to seeing him in person again. She wanted to know if what she felt was as comfortable when it didn't need to jump distances.

When they arrived, most of the crew planned on heading to the Vortex, but Sara moved ahead of them, proceeding through the station's docking section. She rode alone to the Ark, deciding she'd grab a nap in her father's quarters. Her eyelids felt heavy, and fighting the drowsiness briefly, Sara waited for the door to seal behind her before she pulled off her clothes and spoke to the empty room. "SAM? Can I get a wake up call at 0800 if I'm not up by then?"

"Yes, Pathfinder."

But she needn't have worried. The next morning, or as early as she thought was acceptably decent, Sara took the tram to the cryo bay, heading straight for Doctor Carlyle.

"Good morning, Harry," she said, trying not to sound like an excited school girl. She couldn't pin down why she was so drawn to him. She wasn't sure whether it was his warmth, his smile, his wit, or a combination of all of it together. The fact that she found him so attractive didn't hurt, either.

His hair was neatly combed and he was wearing the uniform with the red that really brought out the flecks of grey near the irises of his intense eyes. "Hello, there. It's good to see you."

Sara felt warmth spread in her belly at his words.

Moving closer, he wrapped his fingers around her upper arm, steering her toward the bed where Scott lay resting. "Listen, I've just gotten some news. SAM has been able to establish a link to your brother..."

Talk then became all of Scott and SAM and the amazing opportunity she had been given to reconnect with her best and closest friend. She wasn't afforded as much time as she'd have liked, and the disconnect frightened her more than a little, considering all of the bad news she'd had to deliver. But she was grateful and Harry assured her that Scott was stable and well on his way down the road to recovery.

"Thank you, SAM," Sara said as she gave Scott a lingering look. Harry seemed as surprised as she was that the connection had worked. It seemed it was beyond him, since it was a technological breakthrough and not a medical one.

She turned to Harry, reluctant to go. Maybe she could put off saying goodbye, for now. "So... I've got some things to take care of, but... do you take a break for lunch?"

He looked startled for just a moment, but recovered quickly. "Yeah, sure. If you want, we could meet up in the commons around 1300."

Sara flashed him a smile, feeling a thrill down to her toes. "Great. I'll see you then."

* * *

The common area of the Ark was where the sleeping quarters and the dining hall were located. The dining hall was little more than an oversized cafeteria, with, for the moment, a very limited selection of food and beverages available through both vending machines and servers.

Harry was already seated at a table near a potted plant when Sara arrived. He had a cup of what looked like black coffee and a plate with some kind of sandwich on it. He stood as she approached, pulling out her chair. "Can I get you something? They've got ramen, I think."

Her cheeks colored with a mixture of embarrassment and happiness that he knew about her favorite guilty pleasure. It was cheap earth food, a dehydrated staple that came out of a cup and was nearly tasteless, but Sara loved the stuff.

She laughed, sliding into the chair he offered. "No, but thank you."

He helped her tuck her chair in before returning to his seat, dropping a napkin on his lap. "So what's next for you?" he asked.

Sara watched as he took a healthy sized bite of the sandwich. "Following a trail we picked up on Eos. Should be interesting to see where it leads."

He nodded as he chewed.

Sara looked down at her hands. "I've missed seeing you."

Harry swallowed his food and smiled. "Likewise, kiddo. I imagine you've been pretty busy."

Conversation moved on to her work and his, and about how they were going to end up tied together, she establishing a place for people to call home, and he waking folks up so those places would have people to fill them. He cracked jokes around bites of sandwich and she laughed at them, simply enjoying his company. The hour passed by far too quickly.

"Thank you for spending your lunch with me, Harry." Sara said, knowing it was time to leave, but reluctant to go, even so.

"No problem. It's nice having someone to talk to."

Sara clenched her fingers together, deciding to test the waters. "And I want you to know how much it means to me that you've been messaging me so much. It really helps keep me going."

He replied a little too quickly. "I get it. You miss your father."

Her brows drew together in confusion. "My father..?" Her eyes sought his immediately. His expression was almost wistful, and seeing it kept Sara from growing angry as realization dawned. "You think I'm spending time with you because you remind me of my dad." It was a statement.

His silence spoke volumes.

"Harry, I barely knew my father. So much for me thinking that you were good at reading people." She got up and he was quickly around the table after her.

When he reached her, Sara sighed, and turned to look up into his eyes, speaking plainly. "I like being with you because you're kind, and handsome, and funny. You listen to me when I talk, you let me be silly, put up with me when I complain, and you give me advice and reassurances when I need it." She blew air out of her lungs, feeling the hair around her face stir. "I know it's your job to be there for me, but I was kind of hoping there was a chance it could be more than that."

His eyes widened and he went very still as, having finished admonishing him, she slowly moved up on tiptoes and brushed a kiss over his cheek. The stubble there scratched across her lips, inviting her to do more. She had to tamp down the urge to move on to kiss his mouth. She wanted to explore the swarthy skin under his chin and down his neck, past where it disappeared beneath his collar. He smelled like a blend of soap and aftershave, and she had to fight to make herself step back.

His pupils had dilated and Sara found her hands squeezed between his bigger, stronger ones. "Sara. I'm sorry."

"Pathfinder, the crew of the Tempest is all on board the ship and ready to leave at your word," SAM said into the silence that followed. He hadn't used her private channel, and Sara wondered if he was trying to help break the tension, or if that was giving him too much credit.

"Time to go," she said with a weak smile.

Harry stepped forward and gave her a hug, surrounding her for just a moment with the strength of his arms.

She clung to him, feeling her eyes slide shut. She felt his chest rumble against her as he spoke.

"Be careful. And come back soon."


	2. Chapter 2

Apart, time passed slowly as the Pathfinder team discovered amazing planets and an entirely new race. Sara sent Harry messages any time she thought of something she needed to share with him, and he responded in kind. Their e-mails were frequent and numerous.

She had a nightmare after her first trip to Voeld, dark dreams of the cold closing in on her, waking up to discover she was locked inside of a stasis pod, then waking up again to stare at the ceiling of her cabin on the Tempest. She flipped open the interface on her omni-tool, blinking against the brightness, and saw that it was just after midnight. He wouldn't see it until the morning, but Sara needed to reach out.

 _Harry,  
_ _I'm freezing and I miss you. I'd give anything to have you here.  
-_ _Sara_

She hit send before she could change her mind, laying back against the pillows.

Her omni-tool beeped.

SAM's voice in the darkness caused her to jump. "Sara, there's a message for you from Doctor Carlyle."

Her eyebrows lifted. How the heck..? She held her forearm up in front of her face, quickly swiping open her messages.

 _Sara,  
_ _Are you alright? Did something Happen?  
_ _-Harry_

Sara sat up in the bed, ready to keep the chain going.

 _Harry,  
_ _How are you reading this? I thought you'd get it in the morning.  
_ _-S_

His response was almost instantaneous.

 _Sara,  
_ _I couldn't sleep. Now answer my question.  
_ _-Harry_

Curious. She chewed on her lower lip. He must have some kind of alert set to let him know when she's messaged, but it seemed that wasn't what woke him. She decided to go for bold _._

 _Harry,  
I_ _'m fine, just a bad dream. And I always miss you the most while I'm in bed.  
_ _-S_

She waited for five whole minutes before her inbox beeped at her.

 _Sara,  
Y_ _ou need to get some rest. But it the interest of making you feel better, you should know that I'm having the same issue.  
_ _-Harry_

Sara swiped her interface closed and rolled onto her stomach, roughly shoving a pillow over the top of her head. Now she'd never get to sleep.

* * *

It seemed like an eternity passed before her duties allowed her to make a return trip to the Nexus. She'd brokered an alliance with the Heleus Cluster's native race, but only after a whole lot of work and a daring rescue. She'd tracked down two of the missing Arks, sorted out the leadership on Kadara, and made tentative peace with the krogan colony on Elaaden. Adding to that, they had three new outposts, which meant more resources, and new places for Initiative members to settle.

The influx of asari and turian citizens was obvious the moment Sara set foot on the station, filling her with a sense of accomplishment. Maybe she had been the right person for this job, after all.

A hundred and one little errands demanded her attention, and the hours flew by. Artificial evening fell over the station, shops closed for the night, and the amount of people thinned out across the Nexus as they headed to their quarters for the evening.

Sara was just finishing up speaking with one of the scientists in the upper tech labs by the docks when a voice came over her comm. "Sara, this is Harry. Can I see you? If you can spare the time."

Simply hearing his voice shot a thrill up her spine. The added anticipation of making plans caused her heart to miss a beat. "Where are you?"

"On the tram headed to the station."

"Meet me at Kahoku Memorial Garden? Say, ten minutes?"

"I'll be there," he said.

The park in question was familiar to Sara because of its proximity to the Tempest's dock. If she entered her quarters on the ship during the station's simulated daylight, she got a spectacular view of the garden grounds from her windows.

As the name implied, it had been commissioned and decorated by humanity's arm of the Initiative, the plants all native to human colony worlds. It was peaceful and nearly devoid of other visitors this late in the day. The air was crisp and fresh, lacking only the presence of wildlife to capture the true feeling of being groundside.

Sara found a bench and sat, her gaze moving along the pathways that led in all directions. She was reminded of the parks on the Citadel, although this felt "safer" somehow. C-Sec had been forced to patrol frequently, and it had been a standing rule to avoid these kinds of recreational areas after dark while she'd been growing up.

She looked down at the leather jacket she was wearing, adjusting the zipper and the fall of her scarf above it. As she waited, she tried to force herself to think beyond how happy she was to be here with Harry on his way. She couldn't help fearing the possibility that he might, in fact, have wanted to meet her so he could tell her that they needed to keep things professional between them.

He was one of the most intelligent men she'd ever met, and part of his draw was the deep, almost instinctual trust she had in him. Her limited experience with sex and dating had been rife with disappointment. She used to wonder if perhaps her expectations were too high. But she didn't feel that way with Harry. He'd never hurt her, she was sure of that.

He appeared then, walking toward her at a brisk pace. "Sorry if I've kept you waiting. I needed to stop by my apartment and get something." He placed a small box in her open palms before taking a seat beside her.

Sara was equal parts surprised and excited. "What is this?"

"Open it."

She pulled the lid off and found within a bracelet wrapped in plain white tissue paper. It was beautiful and intricate but made of strong metal. She put it on immediately.

"I have Scott's patient files. You just had a birthday."

Sara smiled, feeling warmth spread inside her chest. "With everything that's been happening, I guess I'd forgotten all about it." She laughed as something occurred to her. "You're the only person awake who knows this about me." The _awake_ part of her statement caused her to sigh regretfully. _Scott is going to be so pissed that he's missed all of this._

She looked down at her wrist again, knowing she was never going to take it off. She wondered, briefly, where he'd gotten it before she decided that it didn't matter. "Thank you, Harry. I love it." Looking back up into his eyes, she felt her breath catch in her throat. She knew, then, that she was in trouble. The bracelet wasn't the only thing that meant so much to her.

"And here I am, old enough to be your father." His tone was light, but his smile looked sad. He paused for a moment, looking at her before he took a deep breath and continued. "Sara, are you sure you wouldn't rather spend your time with someone else? Someone more... age appropriate?"

This again. "Stop. You're younger than dad was, and you know it." The disparity in their ages really seemed to bother him, so it was beginning to really bother her. "I find the age difference sexy," she said, drawing out the final word in an attempt to lighten things up. It didn't seem to be working, so she continued, "But I'm starting to think that maybe it's something you're not going to be able to get past, yourself." She slid closer to him until they were touching from shoulder to hip. "I hope that isn't true."

Harry shook his head, maintaining eye contact with her as he spoke, "I don't know, Sara. There's just a lot that I think you need to consider. What are you looking for here? Something casual?"

Sara's response was swift. "I don't think I can do that."

He sighed, "It won't last between us. You're a bright woman, you've got to know that."

She wanted to argue.

He continued before she could speak, "You have the best years of your life ahead of you. You're going to meet plenty of attractive young men, men trained to fight on the field or with diplomacy. I don't want us to jump into anything that you're going to regret later." He stopped, and his gloved hand moved to capture hers, the fingers of his left hand lacing between the ones on her right. "Have you thought about what coming here to the station would be like if it ends badly?"

She couldn't imagine it turning out that way. Perhaps she was being stubborn, but she didn't _want_ to consider it. Sometimes you have to go with your gut, and she knew that she didn't want to just walk away from him. She squeezed his hand. "I want to take that chance."

"There's nobody else?" he asked again. "All that running around the cluster and you haven't met someone?" The skepticism was plain in his voice.

"Others have expressed interest, but..," she trailed off shaking her head.

Harry smiled at her, and it reached his grey-green eyes. "Well, then. I'm glad. I just need you to be sure." His fingers tightened around hers. "You should probably go get some rest. I'm certain you've had a long day."

Sara nodded in agreement, not wanting to leave, but knowing she should.

His voice broke the silence. "Would it be alright if I kissed you before you go?"

Her breath caught. She nodded again, wanting that more than anything.

His right hand came up, clothed in red and black and white, cupping the side of her face, just under the fall of her dark hair. His gaze was intense. The first brush of his lips caused Sara's eyes to fall shut. His mouth pressed hers, softly, then more firmly, settling over hers as the scent of him reached her.

Sara's breath was coming in quick gasps, her hands floundering in her lap before one moved to rest at his waist near his hip. She felt the gentle scratch of his facial hair as he increased the pressure and her lips parted, his tongue lightly tracing her bottom lip before he drew it into his mouth and lightly sucked on it. She heard herself groan and his lips pushed hers open, his tongue entering to slide against hers before withdrawing.

Deepening the kiss, he teased her with his tongue, entering and retreating, softly stroking inside her mouth. He pressed closer, and at her first tentative explorations, he captured her tongue between his lips, drawing on it with gentle pulls.

She'd never been so turned on by a kiss in her life, and when it ended she felt dazed and bereft.

"Wow," he said when they finally broke apart, their foreheads resting against each other. Their breathing was loud and heavy.

Sara laughed, but agreed. "Yeah."

He gave them a moment to calm their breathing before he rose from the bench, reaching a hand down to help her gain her feet.

She held onto him until she felt steady enough to stand.

He accompanied her on the short walk to the Tempest and wished her goodnight. Sara went to sleep with the taste of him on her lips and the arm with his bracelet on it cradled to her chest.

* * *

The night she flies toward the Archon's ship, she imagines sneaking Harry on board the Tempest. SAM could be their look out as they'd try their best to avoid the others, pretending to be nonchalant despite their urgency. They'd make it to her bunk, but just barely. She imagined Harry's bronze skin contrasting starkly with white sheets, trying to keep quiet in such close quarters, whispering and giggling like teenagers. She pictured them in a variety of positions, making use of every piece of furniture and even the floor before they end up pressed up against the door to her cabin, his hand covering her mouth to muffle her cries as he fucked her, his sexy voice whispering her name between deep drawn out kisses.

She tossed and turned until sleep finally claimed her, dreamless and deep.

The mission goes bad, and as they head back to the Nexus to meet with Tann and Addison, Sara just knows that Lexi is telling Harry all about her brief but necessary death.

It's late when they dock, and as she arrives, she's immediately notified that Scott is awake. Everything is a blur as she rushes to his side, desperately trying to compose her thoughts. She can't hide anything from him, but she doesn't want the weight of her responsibilities sliding onto broader shoulders.

They talk and it's good, although Scott's frustration at his continued confinement is tangible, and she leaves out a lot of the most extreme details. She knows that eventually she'll need to find a way to tell him, but for now, she favors fighting one battle at a time.

She says goodbye to her brother, promising to visit regularly, and after a few general comments from Harry about how nice it was to see the twins together, Harry follows her out. Clasping her upper arm, he steers her into the hallway past the med bay doors. His voice is hushed as he dips his head toward her to speak, "We need to talk about what happened to you."

"I'm fine. SAM counteracted the agent in the serum and Lexi's done a full blood analysis."

He let her go, folding his arms across his chest with a sigh. "That's not what I'm talking about and you know it." He took a deep breath, "Lexi says SAM stopped your heart."

It wasn't a question, but Sara treated it like it was one, anyway, "Yes."

"Jesus, Sara..." In a move she'd never seen him make before, his fingers raked through his hair, disturbing the strands so they stuck straight up in places. "That's horrible."

"Not as horrible as what the Archon would have done to me if SAM hadn't freed us," she argued, ready to defend SAM if it came to a debate like the one she'd had with Lexi.

"I know, I just..." He stopped, and reaching for her upper arms again, he pulled her against him. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I've died before, remember?" she teased, lightly resting her head against his chest as he held her. "You were there."

"Don't remind me," He half groaned, half chuckled before releasing her. "That was the scariest damn thing I've ever been through." His green eyes were piercing as he stepped back. "Stop it. I mean it." It sounded like a command.

"Got it. No more dying. Doctor's orders?" She reached up and smoothed his hair back into place.

"This is serious, Sara," he said. The look in his eyes turned tender as she fixed his hair for him. He seemed to search her face for a moment before he spoke, "Do you want to go out for drinks? If you'll give me a minute, I'll be free to leave."

She stopped, feeling excitement overtake her. "Yeah."

"Alright. I'll be right back."

Sara waited where he left her, unconsciously rotating the bracelet around her left wrist with her right hand.

"Sara," SAM's voice said over her private channel. "May I inquire? Your heart rate has elevated in a way it hasn't before when planning a social engagement. Are you feeling alright?"

"Yes, SAM," she answered quietly. "I'm really, really alright." She felt a smile spread across her face.

"This is courtship behavior."

It didn't sound like a question so Sara didn't respond.

Then, "Do you have feelings for Doctor Carlyle?"

Her response was automatic. "Yes, I do." Sara paused, and as SAM remained silent, she added. "You don't approve."

"I am still learning, Pathfinder, and while I lack the ability to say if this experience will turn out to be what's best for you, I do know that your father envisioned a future that included your happiness, with someone who cares deeply for you. In short, while the outcome is currently unknown, I believe he would have found you and Doctor Carlyle to be an excellent match."

Feeling her heart swell, Sara replied, "Thanks, SAM," softly, smiling. She looked up, and her gaze locked with Harry's as he approached.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Absolutely."

Completely unmindful of who might see, he took her hand and led her to the tram.

* * *

The Vortex was still one of the only nightclubs on the station. Its location was convenient, it had a decent selection of drinks and bar snacks, even late, and the staff and regulars were comfortable and familiar.

The music was a deep rhythmic pulse but it wasn't too loud to talk over, and leading Sara up to a pair of vacant stools at the bar, Harry called Dutch over to take their drink orders.

"Eck, not _you_ again," Dutch said in his usual charming way.

Harry was quick with a come back, "Glad to hear I've been missed. How's my favorite mad chemist?"

Dutch snorted, wiping the bar in front of them with a rag before placing two glasses down. "Mad." As if that explained everything. Then, "I'd be better if people like you would stop cropping up every time I turn around."

Harry chuckled, turning to Sara in inquiry. "Anything you want," he offered.

She rubbed her hands together eagerly. "What concoction have you brewed up for the lab animals tonight?" she asked the bartender.

"Oh, you'll love it. It's called 'Pain In the Ass'."

"Yesss," Sara agreed, loving the sound of it.

"I'll take one of those," Harry said.

Sara's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Never would she have guessed that Harry would be game for Dutch's "experimentations", going so far as to imagine him admonishing her against trying anything mixed up and served "for science" more than anything else.

He grinned, probably noting her startled expression.

Dutch filled their glasses with a cloudy green liquid. It was strong and fruity and Sara downed half of hers in one go.

Harry seemed happy, and more relaxed than she'd ever seen him. They talked about some of the things she'd mentioned in her messages, the changes to be seen all over the station, and his work reviving blocks of colonists.

Drack showed after a while, muscling his way up to the bar a few yards down from them. Sara lifted her glass to him in greeting and felt Harry scrutinizing her as she set it back down.

"Might be kind of difficult for you to explain our relationship to your friends," he said, lightly.

"I'm not really worried about that," Sara said. She'd grown pretty tight with her crew and she felt that the people who really knew her would understand when they met Harry. Those who didn't know her well didn't matter. "Might be awkward telling Lexi about it, though."

"Lexi already knows," he said.

Sara felt her eyes widen. Happiness bubbled up inside her as she realized that Harry's admission really materialized what was between them, making it feel tangible and real. She reached for his hand, scooting closer to him, daring Dutch, Drack, and anyone else in the bar to notice. "Sure you're not worried about your reputation?" she teased, although, with his profession, it had occurred to her that it could be and issue. Thank God she couldn't be considered his patient anymore. "Being with me isn't unethical, is it?"

"No. But I don't relish the idea of adding friction between you and Initiative leadership. PR is a priority for them, and I'd hate to be the cause of any negative scrutiny directed toward you."

Sara nodded, but wasn't worried. Addison and Tann had never truly approved whole heartedly of her efforts, but with the work nearly finished, she had confidence that her romantic pursuits would be something they knew to be beyond their control.

Now that he was awake, she'd need to make the time to tell Scott before anyone else did.

She looked at their clasped hands, watching as his thumb caressed her skin back and forth with slow sweeps. She moved her knee so the side of it pressed his thigh, feeling his body heat sink into her leg, wanting to get as close as she could. She saw the muscles at his throat work as he swallowed sips of his drink, the warmth from the alcohol in her belly and his proximity firing her blood. Her eyes tracked along the side of his face, following the line of his sideburns to where they met the stubble on his cheeks and chin. She remembered the feel of it abrading her own sensitive skin when they kissed and felt a shiver at the thought of it.

She wondered if he could dance. She opened her mouth, ready to ask him when she was interrupted by a heavy hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Ryder." the low growling rumble of Drack's voice resonated behind her.

She turned on her stool. "Hey, old man! Hey, Harry, now, _here's_ a guy that's much too old for me. Harry? Meet Nakmor Drack, my favorite shooting buddy, who also happens to be over fourteen centuries old. Drack, this is Doctor Harry Carlyle. I've known him since the Milky Way." Hesitating only briefly, she went on to add, "He's my... " boyfriend seemed so childish, "sweetheart."

Harry and Sara's krogan friend firmly shook hands, and she saw Drack's eyes narrow, briefly, before he chuckled, "How's it going, doc?"

"Drack also does most of the cooking for us. He's _amazing_ ," she gushed.

Harry offered Drack a drink, and the offer was accepted, of course. He turned back to the bar and stood up, gesturing to Dutch, and when he did, Sara took the opportunity to get her friend's opinion.

Keeping her voice low, she asked, "So, what do you think, Drack?" she bit her lip. "I'm not being completely stupid, am I?"

Drack looked over to see Harry turn back to them with a mug of dark liquid, and his voice rose so the other man would be sure to catch his response. "I think it's great, kid. We all need something to come back to. It helps when you have a reason to fight."

She blinked, confused at first that he'd out her like that before catching on. She grinned, realizing that he'd intended that his answer be heard by both of them for a reason.

Harry offered Drack the mug and asked if they wanted to move to a table.

"Nah, looks like I've intruded enough. There's some things I need to do before we head out tomorrow, but I'll catch you back on the Tempest."

Sara didn't think that they'd needed a reminder that she'd only be there for the night before she'd be heading out again. But then, it would probably always be this way, a few stolen hours before duty and distance separated them.

Drack lifted his hand in a wave, and moved back down the bar.

Sara shifted back against Harry, hoping to recapture the intimacy they'd had before the interruption. But she was definitely grateful for Drack's approval, and hopeful that his words had given Harry food for thought.

It was, apparently, open mic night, and suddenly there was a turian who stood up and recited the saddest poem that Sara had ever heard over the thumping music that filled the club. It dealt with _what if_ s and _should have_ s, and making up her mind, Sara turned back to Harry, ready to beg him to dance with her.

Her gaze met his and his expression was serious. "Want to get out of here?" he asked. "My place is close."

Heart racing, she swallowed heavily and nodded. "Yes, please."

* * *

His apartment was tiny and sparsely furnished, the shelves lining the walls empty save for a small collection of medical journals and other books. A couch dominated the space, with a kitchenette and a door that led off to a compact bed and bath. Sara took a seat on the sofa while Harry poured them shots of whiskey. Being in his personal space felt wonderful, like she was finally being allowed intimate access to the man she'd grown so fond of. She took a sip of her drink after he handed it to her. "This still kind of feels unreal to me, as if I'm in disbelief that you actually like me back."

Harry chuckled, shaking his head. "I 'like you back'? How could I not? You're smart, strong, beautiful, sweet. And maybe being with you makes me feel younger." He placed his shot glass to his lips and drank its contents in one swallow. He sighed as he finished. "Your inexperience is refreshing." He sounded so serious. His hand came up, and he tucked a few stray hairs back behind her ear.

She leaned into the touch, starved for more. Her brain was quickly running out of conversation. "You know, anyone close to me could potentially be a target." The specter of Scott loomed larger than life for just a moment. She pushed the image away. "I've managed to accrue more than my share of enemies in Heleus." She went on. "At least you've had some combat training."

His hand slid behind her, softly cradling the back of her head, briefly, before coming back to trace the line of her neck down over her scarf to the collar of her shirt.

"Where do you keep your sidearm?" she asked, trying to concentrate.

"In a lockbox at the back of my closet."

"Jesus, Harry!" A lot of good that would do him in an emergency.

"Relax," he chuckled, unwinding her scarf to bare her throat. "I know a dozen hand to hand moves that can incapacitate or kill. Doctor, remember?"

The thought thrilled her almost as much as what he was doing with his hands. Taking a deep breath, she drained what was left of her drink.

He took her glass from her and set it and his own on the floor next to the couch. He turned back to her, reaching for the zipper on her jacket.

Her breathing had sped up, and she'd run out of things to say. As she felt the leather slide down her arms, she leaned toward him, brushing his mouth with hers.

The kiss deepened immediately as Harry pulled her up against him, quickly taking control.


	3. Chapter 3

He tasted sweetly of alcohol and excitement, his lips firm, gentle but insistent. Kissing him was still such a new experience that while Sara's body clamored for more, she felt like she could combust from his kisses alone.

His tongue sought hers, swirling inside, caressing her mouth with soft strokes. His hands framed her face, holding her to him.

She endeavored to move the kiss from gentle to passionate. Clutching handfuls of his shirt, she kissed him with all the heat she felt inside her. Trying what he'd done to her during their first kiss, she sucked his tongue into her mouth, drinking him in.

He groaned into her, his hands moving over her hair before sliding down her throat. He gently nipped her bottom lip, then licked her as his hands slid over her t-shirt. He squeezed her breasts through the fabric, causing her back to arch.

She moved into him, desperate to get as close as possible. They broke apart and he pulled his gloves off. She helped him, yanking them inside out to get at his bare skin.

He caught the hem of her shirt, lifting it over her head before his mouth returned to hers. His kisses moved down her chin and her hands came up to weave through his hair. His stubble scratched wonderfully along the skin at her throat, sending shivers in his wake.

He rubbed her back, and his hands were warm and gentle. He was undressing her so achingly slowly that she had to bite back the need to beg him to hurry. Between nibbles on her collar bone, he unhooked her bra, pulling it from between them before dropping it on the floor. Topless, she held onto him as his lips returned to hers, giving her long, drawn out kisses as he held her against his chest.

Reaching between them, he cupped her breasts, softly squeezing, holding her in his hands. He swallowed her sighs, brushing her nipples with his fingertips before moving to capture them between his thumbs and fingers, compressing them to send ripples of pleasure straight to her core.

Her mouth broke free of his, and she uttered one word, "Please..," unsure of what she was asking for.

His hands moved down and curved around her bottom, pulling her up into his hips and against the hardness there. She gasped as she felt the shape and heat of him through their clothing.

He had on too many clothes. She pulled at his shirt and he helped her yank it up and over his head, tossing it behind the sofa. The sensation of his naked chest against her own hot skin made her cling to him, whimpering against his mouth.

He shifted on the couch, laying her back as he moved on top of her. He helped her push her boots off, tackling the zip on her pants before shoving them down her legs and off her feet.

His hand brushed a trail down her belly before lightly touching her through her panties, testing her responses, swallowing her gasps until she pushed herself into his fingers. Hooking his thumbs inside the black cotton fabric, he pulled her underwear down. She was bare before him now, her heart felt like it was going to come out of her chest as he kissed a trail down her neck. He hugged her hips against him as he continued moving lower, down her chest, his face brushing against her breasts, scratching her with his facial hair. He turned his head and captured a nipple in his mouth, drawing on her with deep pulls. Releasing her from his mouth, he moved to softly lick her, laving both nipples with his tongue.

He moved on, his mouth leaving a damp trail as he kissed his way down her rib cage and over her flat belly. He paused at her navel, his tongue dipping inside before moving lower. Her breath caught in her throat then came out in quick gasps as she realized what he intended. Hands pressing her thighs, he moved lower. His hot breath touched the sensitive flesh between her legs first, shocking her. He brushed a soft kiss against her, and she jumped at the contact, her hands shifting through his hair. Using the flat of his tongue, he tasted her, carefully licking up her slit before caressing her with firmer strokes. He pushed his tongue up inside her, just a quick stab before withdrawing, and she pulled at his hair, excitement almost overwhelming her. His tongue found her clit, moving in small circles around it before flicking at just the right angle and she lost it, coming apart swiftly and violently. He didn't let up, continuing his attentions until he built her up a second time. Her orgasm was even more powerful than the first, and feeling raw and over-sensitive, she pushed at his shoulders, tilting her hips away from his face.

"No more, Harry, " she gasped. "I can't..."

Only then did he climb up her body, the kisses he gave her when his mouth returned to hers felt desperate, less gentle. His hand was back at her breasts, pinching and pulling at her nipples with strong fingers, and her womb pulsed in response. She pushed herself up into his hardness, her hands seeking, spanning the plane of his wide shoulders, moving to his well-muscled back, and down to his slim hips. She squeezed his ass through his pants, feeling his cock jerk against the cradle of her thighs. He moved back, gritting his teeth as he worked his belt loose. Her hands joined his, wanting to free him from the last of his clothing.

They got his pants open and he pushed them down his hips.

Her eyes widened at the sight of him. He was perfect, and although his size was a little intimidating, she'd never wanted anything more in her life than she wanted to be with him. It was an urgent desperation that took her then, demanding that she explore all of him, map out the taught body she'd rarely seen out of standard issue medical uniforms and armor. Moving onto her knees, she pushed him onto his back, kissing his neck before moving down to his chest. She scraped her teeth over a defined pectoral muscle, her tongue swiping over flat male nipples. She licked down his abdominals, hard and defined from years of countless crunches. She felt his fingers tangle in her hair as she rubbed her nose against the line of hair leading below his navel. Grasping his hardness in a fist, she moved closer. She felt him start to pull away. "Harry, I want... " her tongue swiped over the head of his cock, but then firm hands quickly moved under her armpits, hauling her up until their bodies were aligned.

Shaking his head, he spoke gruffly, "Not this time." His voice was nearly unrecognizable.

He rolled her back beneath him. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. They differed in so many ways, she was soft, he was so strong and firm. She was small, and he seemed so big. Their skin tones contrasted starkly, she so fair, and he so swarthy. They were two opposites, drawn together like the force of a magnet.

He recaptured her lips, his hand moving back between her legs. Carefully avoiding the over-sensitized bundle of nerves, he touched her, the pads of his fingers rubbing against her swollen labia, tracing down her slit before applying slight pressure, her hips arched as he pushed a single strong finger deep, swallowing her cry at the penetration with his mouth. He held his hand steady, kissing her before easing back then in again, exploring her with soft strokes. His mouth lifted from hers, and pulling his hand free he licked his fingers, eyes sliding shuttered at the taste of her. Then he introduced two fingers, slowly pushing them inside her, holding deep as his mouth reclaimed hers. His fingers separated, stretching her, he stroked upward along the inside of her passage, twisting his wrist on every down stroke.

The sensations were foreign and intense. She held onto him, gasping as he primed her, stretching underutilized muscles.

When he was satisfied that she was ready for him, he removed his hand, positioning himself at her entrance. He ended their kiss, waiting for her eyes to lock with his as he took her slowly. She felt her mouth fall open as he filled her, pushing past her body's resistance.

"Easy..," he whispered, rocking his hips to help his advance until finally, he hilted inside her. His head dropped down next to her shoulder and he held still. He began kissing the side of her neck, and his hands moved between them, his thumbs brushing her nipples as he waited for her to adjust to the size of him. His first tentative movements were slow and gentle.

Spikes of pleasure hit her body, radiating outward from her clit to the very center of her womb. His broad shoulders blocked everything else from view. She arched up against him, trying to encourage him, wanting him to go faster.

His slow pace continued for long minutes, and she felt her legs tremble. Growing frustrated, she said, "Please," again.

He seemed to understand. His mouth found hers, his kiss was deep and passionate as he increased his pace. His thrusts came deeper and harder and she felt herself building quickly toward ecstasy. She saw stars as she came apart in his arms and he broke their kiss, pulling back to watch as she spasmed around him. When she came back to herself she saw him, his narrowed eyes watching her, watching him. He shifted, moving up onto his knees, pulling her hips with him. He continued his movements, his hands moving to hold her thighs, looking down to the place they were joined, watching his hard flesh move in and out of her body. It was hypnotic and Sara felt her eyes fall shut as the sensations started to overwhelm her once again. He noticed that she no longer watched, and reaching for her, he pulled her up and onto his lap so she straddled him. She held on as he moved her up and down on him, his pace frantic now, taking her in quick hard jabs. An absurd thought fluttered through her mind, something along the lines of _thank God his couch is sturdy_ before it was gone again, along with everything but the feel of him.

She was panting, her muscles hot with exertion when he pulled out of her, flipping her over and positioning her up on her knees. Her hands dug into the coarse fabric of the sofa as he moved up behind her, pushing into her with one strong move. She was surprised at his staying power, every experience she'd ever had before had only lasted a handful of minutes before it was over. Her thoughts scattered and all she could do was hold on as sensations began to overtake her. His thighs slapped against her ass and she could hear him grunting and it was the sexiest thing she'd ever heard. His pace quickened, and he pulled her back up against his chest, fighting to get closer. One hand came up to her chin and he tilted her head, turning it toward her shoulder so he could claimed her lips in a fiery kiss.

She moaned into his mouth and then lost her breath as she convulsed around him, and he held deep, making a sound halfway between a groan and grunt deep in his chest. She felt warmth spreading inside her, and realizing it was him, and everything they'd done, she nearly passed out. He held her for just a moment before softly breaking their kiss. Gently, he slipped out of her body, leaving her with a sense of loss.

She felt the couch shift as he left it, then heard the pad of his footsteps leading away. A drawer rolled on its tracks, then she heard the faucet run before he was back beside her, adjusting her so she lay back against the cushions. He cleaned between her legs with a soft, wet cloth, before lifting her, carrying her into his bedroom. He placed her on the bed, pulling covers up over her nakedness. Heading back out into the main room, she heard a cupboard door slam, and more running water. He returned. "Here, sweetheart," he said as he held a glass of deep orange colored liquid toward her. "Drink this. It's got birth control, antibiotics to promote healing, and some vitamin boosters."

She sat up in the bed, accepting the cup and drinking it down obediently. "Thank you," she croaked. Her voice felt hoarse.

Sara hadn't even thought about how much time had passed since she'd had her procreation blocker.

Children, marriage, and all that came with them were things she didn't want to think about until far in the future. For now, she just wanted Harry, and to enjoy the time she was given with him, and maybe, someday, when she was no longer in her early twenties, she could form a plan and examine her preferences and how they fit with his.

He took the empty glass from her, placing it next to a small lamp on a side table. Walking around to the other side of the bed, he climbed in next to her, pulling her against him, settling them comfortably under the sheets.

She wanted to memorize the smell of him, the feel of his body against hers so she could take it with her. She turned around so she could face him and kissed him softly. He kissed her back, and it was so sweet and tender she almost wanted to cry. Her hand swept low on his belly, seeking.

He chuckled, and capturing her hand, he pulled it away from its intended target and placed a kiss inside her palm. "We'd better not. You're already going to be sore tomorrow."

She sighed, feeling her eyelids droop, but not wanting to miss a moment of closeness.

"I really care about you, Harry. Tonight was... wonderful."

He kissed her forehead and she rested her cheek on his chest, getting comfortable enough that they'd both be able to rest. She felt well-loved and exhausted.

"Can I get you something else? Is there anything you need?" he asked.

"Just you."

His arms tightened around her, briefly, before she felt him relax.

She fell asleep with his breath fanning the top of her head.

* * *

She woke to the soft brush of a hand smoothing the hair back from her face. She snuggled into the warm body against her, sighing happily.

"I have to go to work, but I don't want to," he said. His voice was low and husky.

"Mmm, so don't," she said as her eyes slid open.

"I need to check in on Scott."

Reality intruded, as it always did, and Sara hated it. "And I have to go meet with Tann." She stuck her lip out in a pout, and he leaned down to kiss it.

"We've got time to share a shower, if you'd like," he smiled and never had she appreciated anyone's optimism more.

"Deal."

An hour later she left his apartment. Pulling up the zipper on her leather jacket, she headed in the direction of the tram.

"That was an interesting experience, Pathfinder."

Well, that was one word for it. "Your silence last night was interesting, too, SAM. Were you too busy learning?"

"I didn't want to intrude."

She grinned, feeling excitement and happiness and fear. "SAM... I think I'm in love."


	4. Chapter 4

Events moved quickly after that, fear and determination driving her as she pursued the Archon and Scott. SAM's absence was painful and sharp, affecting her in a way she never would have imagined, not to mention the stress it put on her body each time she used Remnant interfaces without him.

She desperately tried not to worry for everyone on board the crashing Ark, thousands of lives that depended on her, countless faces of colonists she didn't know, and those she'd only met in passing, as well as people who meant so much to her; the Captain, her mother, Harry...

She had little information, and could barely concentrate beyond the dread that came with the realization that her enemy had her brother, and Harry had been with Scott when he'd been taken, and no way would he have just stood aside and let that happen.

Fighting through the kett and the Remnant required everything she had, so she ignored her fear and pushed forward, desperate to save Scott and everything that mattered.

She'd received news that the Ark had crash landed and was almost to her goal when Harry's voice reached her over comms in between the chorus of allies chiming in with their support.

"Sara, I'm on the Hyperion tending the wounded. Just a few broken bones, if you can believe it."

"Harry! Thank God you're okay!" She had a prefect and a destroyer to deal with at the moment, so her voice was grateful but harried.

"Give them Hell."

And she did.

When it was all over, she almost couldn't believe it. Interfacing with so much Remnant technology had overtaxed both of the Ryder twins, and while her brother drifted in and out of consciousness and was relegated to bed rest, Sara was simply mentally and physically exhausted and under orders from Lexi to keep her combat profiles offline for the immediate future.

"There's no such thing as 'light duty' for a Pathfinder," Sara groused. She had no idea what to do with herself outside of poking around Meridian and spending time with her crew. Everyone seemed grateful for the breather, but Sara felt restless and trapped knowing the Tempest was grounded until Dr. T'Perro gave the all clear. When that time came, Sara was hoping that Scott would be in a position to join them, finally.

Harry had transferred over to the Nexus to set up a practice for all the species who inhabited it. He was quickly learning angara physiology, and was as busy as he'd ever been. But he kept in constant communication with Sara and came to see her whenever he could manage to get time off.

Plans for the Hyperion were to integrate it into Meridian, making it the first of many Initiative structures to grace the surface. Until everything made the transition from space ship to landlocked vessel, the Ark remained as it always had, functioning in much the same way it did before touchdown. Sara slept in her father's room, occasionally listening to his personal logs. Hearing his voice still caused her heart to ache.

She spent hours every day with Scott in the med bay, catching him up on all he had missed, talking with him about anything and everything or simply sitting with him as he slept.

One evening, she was in her room for the night waiting for Harry to return her goodnight message when SAM's voice filled the silence, "Doctor Carlyle has just entered the Habitation deck via the tram, Sara." In her excitement, she didn't bother chiding him for spoiling the surprise.

The door chimed and she answered it in only her panties and a t-shirt.

"Hi, there," he said. "I'd admonish you for answering the door like that, but I've got a feeling that you knew it was me."

Standing up on tip-toe she kissed him, pulling him inside as his arms went around her. The door sealed as they backed into the room. Taking his coat from him, she looked askance at his medical uniform.

"I came straight here from work. I have to head back first thing in the morning."

His words were disappointing but hardly a surprise.

He'd never seen the apartment, so she showed him around. "What do you think of dad's room?"

"The directory lists it as belonging to 'Pathfinder Sara Ryder'."

"Yeah, but it doesn't. Not really. I use it, but this is all my father's stuff. Everything is the way he left it. I'm planning on offering it to Scott when he gets released." She chuckled, "I'm not sure what I'll do if he accepts."

"You'll come stay with me," he answered simply.

She sighed happily. "That sounds kind of wonderful."

He smiled down at her, then pulled her up against him.

Weeks had passed since their night together and she was starving for him. Their mouths met and it was electric. He backed her up until she felt the bed against her bare legs.

Releasing her mouth, he stepped back. He pulled on her shirt with his thumb and forefinger. "Take this off."

Smiling, she obeyed.

"Those, too," he gestured to her panties.

Stepping free of them, she stood before him, naked but for the bracelet he had given her.

"Get on the bed."

So this was how it was going to go. She trembled with excitement as she turned from him, climbing up the bed on her hands and knees until she reached the pillows. She turned onto her back, propping herself up on her elbows and sticking her chest out. She kept her knees together pointing her toes in his direction.

"Look at me," he said. He slowly pulled off his own clothes, gloves, shirt, pants, boxer briefs. All the while, looking down at her, eyes dark and intense.

He was the most attractive man she'd ever met, and the mere sight of him was enough to make her tremble with need. His body was dark and well muscled, showcasing a healthy lifestyle. He had a better physique than men she'd seen that were half his age.

When he was as naked as she, he crawled up her body, pausing to bite at her nipples.

She cried out, loving the sensation, the pleasure-pain new to her, but beyond intoxicating.

He moved back and forth, giving each nipple equal attention, leaving them wet sharp points as the air of the room touched her. Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled them until she straddled his body, sitting himself up against the headboard, and positioning her on his thighs. "Kiss me," he ordered.

She did, putting all of the passion and longing she felt into the kiss, using her tongue to taste him, licking and feeling him with her lips. She dragged her sensitized nipples against his chest. Their kisses were long and lust-filled.

She was practically grinding herself against him by the time he gave his next command.

"Touch me."

He didn't specify, but his cock rose up between them and it was the first thing she went for. Sitting back on her haunches, she reached down to circle him with her fingers.

He was hot, firm and smooth, and gently, so as not to abrade him, she pet him, rubbing him with light touches, pausing to lightly tap the sensitive spot beneath the head before clenching him in a fist. She squeezed, hard, and watched his eyelids fall shut. She pumped her fist, slowly at first, then with increased speed, feeling the shape of his hardness move counterpoint as she kept a tight hold on his skin.

Moving herself down his legs, she adjusted so she could reach him more easily. Leaning close, she capped him with her mouth, surrounding his head with wet heat.

He grunted, his fingers tangling in her hair.

Relaxing her throat and jaw, she took him deeper, licking and sucking him until he was slick.

She took him with her mouth for long minutes, wanting nothing but his pleasure, loving the power she felt, that she could make him shift and groan beneath her and jerk in her hold.

"Enough," he said roughly, pulling her head up. He slid his body down the bed between her spread knees until he lay flat, head below the pillow. He reached for her.

She moved into his arms, but was surprised to feel him shift her higher than his lap.

"Let me taste you." Wrapping his arms around her hips, he pulled her toward him, making her straddle his face.

She was shocked by the position, but only for a moment before her back arched as he held her, his tongue moving up to touch and tease and explore. She grasped his forearms as they held her legs, hovering over his mouth, gasping for breath as he licked and softly nibbled on her most sensitive flesh. He pulled her clit into his mouth, sucking at it as her legs shook. She built quickly, whimpering as her orgasm shot through her body.

Pulling one of her knees up, he slid from under her, flipping her onto her back and positioning her beneath him as he loomed over her on the bed. His knees shifted apart, spreading her thighs wide. "Wrap your legs around me."

Having him tell her what to do was exciting beyond measure. Looking up into his eyes, she complied, then cried out as he took her, driving himself inside her in one slow firm push.

He held still for just a moment before he started to move. Slow and steady, his hips snapped into hers.

She clutched at his muscular ass, trying to hold him, needing him closer.

His breathing sped up, and so did his pace, hips jerking into hers. Their movements became frantic as they desperately tried to get closer to each other.

Her nails bit into him as her hold tightened, trying to keep up, the pleasure moving through her body with lightening speed. She felt his teeth sink into her shoulder and she exploded, losing her grip on reality as darkness overtook her vision and tremors wracked her body.

His force and pace increased, his movements pushing her up toward the headboard. He clutched her to him as he took her with quick hard thrusts, the bed rocking beneath them, banging against the wall in protest. He fell out of rhythm, slamming into her again and again before reaching his goal, following her over with a low, deep groan.

She tingled all over, sighing with satisfaction. She traced one hand down his muscled back. It was nice to get what she wanted, and when she was with him, everything seemed possible.

She slept in his arms, holding on tight, breathing in the scent of him.

* * *

About a week later, Sara left Kesh's apartment on the Nexus, a bemused smile on her face. Seeing the eggs, safe, tucked away in an incubator caused questions to rise up in her, and a longing she couldn't deny. Fraternal twins ran in the Ryder family, and she couldn't stop herself from envisioning one precious little girl and one boy, a miniature version of Harry, someone to teach how to play and laugh and someday, how to shoot.

She'd moved a few things into Harry's apartment, and from now on, whenever she made a trip to the station, the plan was to bunk with him. She felt a delicious curl of anticipation at the thought.

Free from the threat the Archon had posed, life had finally started to settle into something that resembled normalcy. Various tasks still demanded Sara's attention, isolated pockets of kett remained in the cluster along with all the challenges fledgling outposts faced, as well as the diplomatic demands that her position required. But the sense of urgency had passed, and there were others now to share the burden, Sarissa, Avitus, and Hayjer.

She let herself into Harry's tiny living quarters, shrugging out of her jacket and flopping down on the couch. She spent a handful of minutes checking over mission reports on her omni-tool while she waited for Harry to arrive. She didn't have to wait long.

The door sealed behind him as he entered, and seeing her, his eyes lit up. "I was hoping I'd find you here."

She went to him, loosely sliding her hands around his waist. "Where else would I be?" she asked.

He smiled in response, pushing stray hairs back from her face. He leaned down, brushing her mouth with a kiss. "So, what did you think?"

"Kesh and Vorn are going to make wonderful parents. And Drack is the coolest great-grandpa I could ever imagine."

He seemed pleased with her answer, leaning back down to kiss her softly.

She tightened her arms around him, returning his kiss. Her tongue curled against his and she felt her back bump up against the kitchen counter as Harry moved her into it.

"Mmm, let's go to bed," he said low.

As enticing as that sounded, she couldn't help but protest. "Aw, you're not going to be bossy-pants Harry this time?" she asked and inspiration struck. "Ooh, maybe I'd be interested to see what _super_ bossy-pants Harry looks like." She was only half teasing.

He moved back from her, eyes searching her face. "You want me to tell you what to do?"

"Yes." It sounded forbidden and delicious.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

He smiled, but then his expression changed, becoming closed and neutral. "Undress me."

She'd asked for it, but his request was still surprising, standing as they were in his kitchenette. "Here?"

"Is that a problem?" he asked, his tone sharper than she'd ever heard it.

Giggling a little, she covered her mouth before losing her grin and clearing her throat. "Uh, no, sir!"

"Good," he said, waiting.

She reached for his gloves first, peeling the medical standard issue down his forearms and off his hands.

He ducked his head to help facilitate her reach as she pulled his shirt up and over, the sleeves going inside out as they left his muscled arms.

Dropping to her knees, she pulled off his boots. He helped her by lifting one foot and then the other. Moving back up onto her knees from her haunches, she went for his belt buckle, freeing the strip of leather before pulling it free. She yanked on his zip.

"Slower," he ordered, and she realized just how excited she'd become.

Checking her speed, she opened his pants, pulling them and his underwear down his hard thighs together.

He stood naked and proud before her, his cock rising up between them. "Kiss it," he told her.

She did, leaning forward to place a light, chaste kiss on the tip. She smiled, looking up at him as he waited for her to continue. His fingers wove through her hair, and cradling the back of her head, her brought her to him, brushing her lips up against his erection. "Come on, Sara, kiss it."

More than happy to comply, she opened her mouth, taking him inside. She tasted and teased him, sucking as she pulled her mouth back, relaxing her throat as she took him deep again. She drew on him, letting him slip out of her mouth with a popping sound, curling her tongue around him and dragging him back in, bumping him against the back of her throat.

Minutes passed, his breathing was loud and fast, and she felt his hands tighten in her hair before he pulled her away. "That's enough." Moving to the cold tiled floor beside her, he went for the fly on her pants. "Get these off," he said.

She helped him divest her of everything below her waist, and pulling her t-shirt off, he spread it on the floor before nudging her onto it.

She reached for the clasp on her bra, but he stopped her, hands capturing hers. "Leave it." She'd worn something lacy and impractical. His eyes touched her and she was grateful she'd chosen it.

She stood up on her knees in front of him, using the shirt as a buffer between her skin and the cold hard floor.

He moved closer, before sitting back on his heels, one big hand pushing her thigh to widen her stance and give him a better view. "Touch yourself," he said thickly, looking down at the pink flesh between her legs.

Embarrassment coloring her cheeks, she placed her hand low on her belly. She slid it down, grazing the patch of hair, searching for her clit with her fingertips. She rolled her middle finger over it, gasping. It was his attentive gaze as much as the pressure that shot pleasure through her, causing her hips to cant forward.

Moving closer, his thumbs slid against her, parting her folds. "Hold here," he said gruffly. She placed her fingers where his had been, holding herself open to him. He slid down, head tilting at an angle, and his mouth covered her, quickly finding the sensitive bundle of nerves. She cried out, desperately trying not to collapse against him. He pulled her into his face and she trembled, her fingertips digging into her own sensitive skin, fighting the need to clutch at his shoulders as he held her steady. He stroked her with his tongue, nibbling at her clit until she broke apart against his mouth, shaking as her body contracted violently.

He moved back, reclining on the tiled floor as he pulled her over his hips to straddle him. Knees bent, he supported her back, shoulders off the floor as he guided her pelvis over him. "Push yourself down on me. Easy... that's right." He gripped her bottom, spreading her open to help her take him inside.

She slid herself over him, bearing down, taking him in inch by delicious inch. Her back arched as she pushed past her body's resistance, muscles clenching then giving in as she moved to take the entire length of him into her body. She whimpered as he hilted, feeling stuffed and stretched around him.

He gasped, holding still to allow her a moment to adjust to his possession.

His hand came up to cradle her face, his thumb brushing her lips, and she kissed it, her eyes opening just a slit to peek down at him.

She rocked her hips, just slightly, breath catching as pleasure shot through her.

"Ride me. Take me at your own pace," he instructed, his free hand spreading across the small of her back.

She looked down at him and started to move. Small shifts of her hips at first, then speeding up, needing to please him, but wanting to find ecstasy herself. She planted her toes, trying to gain leverage as she moved over him, grinding down at the bottom of each thrust, then moving up, a slow, hot slide, pushing her clit down into him in rhythmic lunges. She positioned her hands on his rippling belly muscles, supporting her weight, pushing herself up and down on him, riding him harder and faster until the sensations overwhelmed her. Head falling back, she shattered, gasping for breath as she came.

"Sara..," he groaned. Hearing her name from him at such an intimate moment meant everything to her. He sat up, holding her, taking control of her movements, pushing roughly up as he brought her down on him, bumping her pelvic bone against him. Her body jerked with the force of the impacts, his thrusts rough and rapid. Bringing her down on him sharply he groaned, holding taut inside her as he filled her insides with warmth, pulsing deep.

Later, they lay together, recovering. She stared up at the white ceiling, noting the minimalist recessed light fixtures that marked the kitchen space. She wondered if it was always going to be this intense, the overwhelming emotions she had for this man were like nothing she'd ever experienced, and she never wanted to let them go.

Placing a kiss on the top of her head, he laced his fingers through hers, and Sara knew the future had never looked brighter.

* * *

 _A/N: The original plan was to end this at chapter 3, but, well, more porn isn't the worst thing that could happen, right? IDK, is smut twice in one chapter acceptable? LOL. Maybe now I can let this ship rest, but then again, you never know what can happen to my muse if or when 'Andromeda' sees some DLC. I'd also kind of like to_ _write_ _something in Harry's POV._ _Thanks for reading!_


End file.
